Is the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean electric toothbrush worth the price?

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean electric toothbrush comes with two brush heads, a USB travel case and a special glass that can charge the unit. Photo courtesy of Philips.

For the past few years my dentist has been recommending I switch to an electric toothbrush. I’ve contemplated it a couple of times but have always walked away after seeing the price of them and not believing the benefits matched the product. My feelings on electric toothbrushes changed when Philips sent me one of their Sonicare DiamondClean models to test.

It comes in a variety of colour options, but the white model I received was perfect for my needs (and looks quite lovely on my counter).

The built-in rechargeable battery can be charged in multiple ways, including a unique glass that you just set the brush in. There’s also a durable (and classy) USB travel case and a coaster-like stand (which I thought was a lid to the cup when I unboxed it) that can charge it as well.

The handle fits comfortably in my large hands and the vibration from the motor is barely noticeable. It’s also much quieter than I expected and doesn’t wake my kids up when I’m using it in the morning or late at night.

The Sonicare DiamondClean has five brushing modes to choose from depending on the level of cleaning you want. “Clean” is good for an overall standard brushing, while “Gum Care” and “Sensitive” are more gentle modes that also massage your gums. “Polish” and “White” do deeper cleaning to help brighten your teeth.

Two brush heads are included with the Sonicare DiamondClean kit (one standard and one compact) and they easily click into place onto the handle. The brush heads do come with plastic covers but don’t fit into the travel case with them on. This was the only real downside I found with the unit as I would prefer to have the brush heads covered inside the case (especially when travelling).

No doubt, there is a huge difference in how clean my teeth are after using the Sonicare DiamondClean as opposed to a manual toothbrush. I immediately noticed a difference upon first use and after a couple of weeks of testing which modes work best for me, my teeth feel much cleaner and appear a lot whiter. My gum health also seems to be doing better (which is the reason my dentist recommended I get an electric toothbrush in the first place) and I actually get excited to brush my teeth now.

While it’s not as fancy as their connected “smart” toothbrush (which tells you via an app on your phone if you didn’t brush enough), the Sonicare DiamondClean is well worth the money if you care about your dental health. I don’t think I could ever go back to a manual toothbrush again.